Teks -- John 13:38 (NET)

13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? I tell you the solemn truth, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!

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Robertson: Joh 13:38 - Wilt thou lay down?

Wilt thou lay down? ( thēseis ).

Jesus picks up Peter’ s very words and challenges his boasted loyalty. See such repetition in Joh 16:16, Joh 16:31; Joh 21:17.

Robertson: Joh 13:38 - Shall not crow

Shall not crow ( phōnēsēi ).

Aorist active subjunctive of phōneō , to use the voice, used of animals and men. Note strong double negative ou mē . Mark adds dis (twice). John’ s report is almost identical with that in Luk 22:34. The other disciples joined in Peter’ s boast (Mar 14:31; Mat 26:35).

Robertson: Joh 13:38 - Till thou hast denied

Till thou hast denied ( heōs hou arnēsēi ).

Future middle indicative or aorist middle subjunctive second person singular (form identical) with compound conjunction heōs hou (until which time), "till thou deny or deniest"( futurum exactum needless). Peter is silenced for the present. They all "sat astounded and perplexed"(Dods).

Vincent: Joh 13:38 - Wilt thou lay down thy life?

Wilt thou lay down thy life?

For a similar repetition of Peter's own words, see on Joh 21:17.

Wesley: Joh 13:38 - The cock shall not have crowed

That is, cock crowing shall not be over, till thou hast denied me thrice - His three - fold denial was thrice foretold; first, at the time mentioned here; secondly, at that mentioned by St. Luke; lastly, at that recorded by St. Matthew and Mark.

JFB: Joh 13:36-38 - Peter said

Seeing plainly in these directions how to behave themselves, that He was indeed going from them.

JFB: Joh 13:36-38 - Lord, whither guest thou?

Having hardly a glimmer of the real truth.

JFB: Joh 13:36-38 - Jesus answered, . . . thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards

How different from what He said to the Jews: "Whither I go ye cannot come" (Joh 8:21).

JFB: Joh 13:38 - Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?

In this repetition of Peter's words there is deep though affectionate irony, and this Peter himself would feel for many a day after his recovery, as he retraced the painful particulars.

JFB: Joh 13:38 - Verily . . . The cock, &c.

See on Luk 22:31-34.

Clarke: Joh 13:38 - The cock shall not crow, etc.

The cock shall not crow, etc. - See on Mat 26:34 (note). Dr. Lightfoot has very properly remarked that we must not understand these words, as if the cock should not crow at all before Peter had thrice denied his Master; but we must understand them thus: "The cock shall not have finished his crowing before thou wilt thrice deny me. When the time was near, the very night in which this was to happen, Christ said, This very night the cock shall not crow his second time, etc. But here, two days before that time, he says, the cock shall not crow; that is, shall not have done his crowing. The Jews, and some other nations, divided the cock-crowing into the first, the second, and the third times.

1.    On Peter’ s denial of our Lord much has been written: by one class he has been incautiously excused, and by another rashly censured. Peter was self-confident, but he was certainly sincere, and, had he trusted more in God and less in himself, he would not have miscarried. He did not look to his Maker for strength, and therefore he fell. He was surprised, and found unarmed. It is a well-known fact that circumstances have occurred in which persons of the most bold, intrepid, and adventurous minds have proved mere cowards, and acted to their own disgrace and ruin. Facts of this kind occur in the naval and military history of this and every other country. No man is master of himself at all times; therefore prudence and caution should ever be united to courage. Peter had courage, but he had not caution: he felt a powerful and determined will; but the trial was above his own strength, and he did not look to God for power from on high. He was warned by this miscarriage, but he dearly bought his experience. Let him that readeth understand

2.    A fact which occurs in the English Martyrology will serve to illustrate the history of Peter’ s denial and fall. In the reign of Queen Mary, when the Papists of this kingdom burned all the Protestants they could convict of denying the doctrine of transubstantiation, a poor man who had received the truth in theory, but had not as yet felt its power, was convicted and sentenced by their bloody tribunal to be burned alive. While they were drawing him to the place of execution, he was very pensive and melancholy; and when he came within sight of the stake, etc., he was overpowered with fear and terror, and exclaimed, O! I can’ t burn! I can’ t burn! Some of the attending priests, supposing that he wished to recant, spoke to him to that effect. The poor man still believed the truth - felt no disposition to deny it - but did not feel such an evidence of his Maker’ s approbation in his own soul as could enable him to burn for it! He continued in great agony, feeling all the bitterness of death, and calling on God to reveal himself through the Son of his love. While thus engaged, God broke in upon his soul and he was filled with peace and joy in believing. He then clapped his hands, and exclaimed with a powerful voice, I can burn! I can burn! He was bound to the stake, and burned gloriously, triumphing in God through whom he had received the atonement. This was a case in point. The man was convinced of the truth, and was willing to burn for the truth; but had not as yet power, because he had not yet received an evidence of his acceptance with God. He pleaded for this with strong crying and tears, and God answered him to the joy of his soul; and then he was as able as he was willing to go to prison and to death. Without the power and consolation of the Spirit of God, who could be a martyr, even for Divine truth? We see now plainly how the case lies: no man is expected to do a supernatural work by his own strength; if left to that, in a case of this kind, his failure must be inevitable. But, in all spiritual matters, assistance is to be sought from God; he that seeks shall find, and he that finds Divine strength shall be equal to the task he is called to fulfill. Peter was incautious and off his guard: the trial came - he looked not for power from on high, and he fell: not merely because he was weak - not because God withheld the necessary assistance - but because he did not depend on and seek it. In no part of this business can Peter be excused - he is every where blamable, and yet, through the whole, an object of pity.

Calvin: Joh 13:38 - Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? // The cock will not crow

38.Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Christ did not choose to debate with Peter, but wished that he should grow wise by his own experience, like fools, who never grow wise till they have received a stroke. Peter promises unshaken firmness, and indeed expresses the sincere conviction of his mind; but his confidence is full of rashness, for he does not consider what strength has been given to him. Now since this example belongs to us, let each of us examine his own defects, that he may not be swelled with vain confidence. We cannot indeed make too large promises about the grace of God; but what is here reproved is the arrogant presumption of the flesh, for faith rather produces fear and anxiety.

The cock will not crow As presumption and rashness proceed from ignorance of ourselves, Peter is blamed for pretending to be a valiant soldier while he is beyond arrow-shot; for he has not yet made trial of his strength, and imagines that he could do any thing. He was afterwards punished, as he deserved, for his arrogance. Let us learn to distrust our own strength, and to betake ourselves early to the Lord, that he may support us by his power.

TSK: Joh 13:38 - Wilt // The cock

Wilt : Pro 16:18, Pro 28:26, Pro 29:23; 1Co 10:12

The cock : Joh 18:16, Joh 18:17, Joh 18:25-27; Mat 26:34, Mat 26:69-75; Mar 14:30,Mar 14:66-72; Luk 22:34, Luk 22:56-62

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Poole: Joh 13:38

Mark saith, before the cock crow twice. So the other three evangelists must be expounded, who say no more than before the cock crow, not mentioning how often; but the history makes it good, that our Saviour meant twice, for it was not before the second crowing of the cock that Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

Lightfoot: Joh 13:38 - The cock shall not crow

Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.   

[The cock shall not crow.] We must not understand this as if the cock should not crow at all before Peter had denied Christ thrice: this had not been true, because the cock had crowed twice before Peter had denied him. But we must understand it, The cock shall not have finished his crowing, etc. Nor indeed was that time above half over before Peter had denied his Master.   

The Jewish doctors distinguished the cockcrowing into the first, second, and third. The first they call the cockcrowing. The second, when he repeats it. The third, when he does it a third time. The distinction also amongst other nations is not unknown. When the time indeed was near, and the very night wherein this was to happen, then Christ saith, This very night the cock shall not crow his second time; etc. But here, two days before this night, he only saith, The cock shall not crow; that is, shall not have done all his crowing, before thou deny me. And thus our Saviour meets with the arrogance of Peter, foretelling him that he should not have the courage he so confidently assumed to himself, but should within the time and space of cockcrowing deny him thrice.

Haydock: Joh 13:38

The love which St. Peter bore our Saviour was exceedingly tender, but it was not yet sufficiently strong. (St. Bernard, Serm. iv. in Cant.) ---

Jesus therefore asks him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for me? Do you think yourselves sufficiently strong to perform this heroic act for love of me? so far are you from exposing your life for me, that you will shortly deny me. (Menochius)

Gill: Joh 13:38 - Jesus answered him, wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake // verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice

Jesus answered him, wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake,.... Christ speaks these words as questioning, not Peter's sincerity, but his strength; or as deriding him, or rather pitying him; as if he should say, thou poor vain self-sufficient man, thou dost not know what thou talkest of:

verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice; not that Peter should deny him three times, before the cock crowed once; for certain it is, that Peter denied Christ but once, before the cock crew, Mar 14:68; but the meaning is, that before the cock had, lone crowing, or within the time of cock crowing, he should deny him thrice: whence it follows, that there is no necessity of concluding from hence, that this night was the passover night, and the night in which Judas betrayed Christ, and Peter denied him, but was two nights before; and therefore it is not said here, as by the other evangelists, "this day", or "this night", or "this day, even this night thou shalt deny me"; only in general before the cock crow, or within the time of cock crowing: so that it appears, that Peter twice expressed his confidence, in laying down his life for Christ; once at the supper in Simon's house at Bethany, two days before the "passover", and again at the passover supper in Jerusalem; and as often Christ rebuked his confidence by this expression, only varying it as the different times required, and therein gave a full proof of his omniscience.